Battle of Seelow Heights

The Battle of Seelow Heights occurred from 16 to 19 April 1945 when the Soviet 1st Belorussian Front under Georgy Zhukov launched an offensive against German positions at Seelow Heights (nicknamed "the gate to Berlin", just 56 miles from the German capital), facing the German 9th Army from Army Group Vistula. The Soviets began the offensive with massive artillery barrages, but the Soviets suffered heavy losses at the hands of the Germans, who used the terrain to their advantage. However, the Soviets would continue pushing despite these losses, and they had reduced the German forces to pockets of resistance by 19 April, crushing the last German forces with massive armored assaults and with artillery fire. The Soviet capture of the Seelow Heights was vital to the success of the drive on Berlin, as the Soviets had captured the main gateway to the city, and they assaulted the city after pushing the Germans back from the heights.